Are you curious about trying the brain supplement CDP Choline (Citicoline)?
This cognitive enhancer is one of the best sources of Choline and Cytidine that you can buy.
Choline is essential for proper brain function and it is fairly difficult to obtain enough just from most modern diets.
In fact, it is estimated that as much as 90 percent of the general population in North America may be deficient in this nutrient. In addition to correcting choline deficiencies, CDP Choline also can have a very powerful brain boosting effect.
As a precursor to the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, choline plays a vital role in a number of cognitive processes like those integral to memory, learning capacity, and reasoning.
This supplement also helps to protect and possibly even reverse damage to neurons and other brain cells. Using CDP Choline can support proper maintenance of the cell membranes of neurons and grey matter tissue in the brain.
A daily CDP Choline dosage may therefore improve cellular communication and acts as an antioxidant, helping to remove toxins, poisons, and rebuilding damaged cells.



- Supports memory, focus & mental clarity
- Increases levels of acetylcholine neurotransmitter
- Promotes brain cell health & communication
Typical CDP Choline Dosages
Related Topics
- What is Citicoline?
- Cytidine Diphosphate Choline
- CDP Choline Effects
- User Reviews
- Benefits for the Brain
- Comparison to Alpha GPC
- Risk of Adverse Effects
- Safe Dosage Guidelines
- How to Take
- Stacking with Piracetam
- Buy CDP Choline
- Supplement Ratings
- Ceraxon Citicoline
- Cognizin Citicoline
- Neuroaxon Citicoline
- Somazina Citicoline
- Zynapse Citicoline
A proper CDP Choline dosage depends on many different factors including age, weight, sex, physiology, and personal sensitivities.
How much CDP Choline you use on a daily basis will also really depend on your reasons for taking it in the first place.
The below dosage recommendation are general guidelines only, and your personal dosage may be different. It is always recommended that you speak with your doctor to determine the best dosage for your needs.
For example, if you are looking to achieve some of the cognitive benefits listed above, then most users recommended to stay somewhere in the 500 to 1,000 mg daily dosage range.
Some reviews and user experience logs may suggest using more, but it is not advised that you start out with a high dose.
Another thing you will want to keep in mind is to avoid taking your CDP Choline dose during the evening, since it may lead to an increase in energy that could result in difficulty getting to sleep.
In some cases, it may be beneficial to take a larger dosage if you are suffering from a clinical issue for which your doctor has prescribed CDP Choline. It is still relatively rare for doctors in North America to prescribe this supplement, but it is more common in Europe where CDP Choline has been used for stroke survivors and elderly individuals with memory loss.
If this situation applies to you, you should definitely consult with a doctor before taking this nootropic supplement.
Some CDP Choline Benefits & Uses
One of the most common uses of CDP Choline is for enhanced intellect and brain power.
This supplement provides particularly noticeable benefits with regards to increased memory and recall speed along with enhanced learning capacity.
An often overlooked cognitive benefit is the increased energy associated with improved blood flow, oxygen, and glucose uptake. This extra mental energy that can occur when taking a CDP Choline dosage also leads to an improved attention span in many users, along with an increased ability to concentrate without experiencing mental fatigue.
CDP Choline also helps to protect the brain which means that it exhibits a neuroprotective effect. There are a number of reasons for this.
Probably the biggest is that part of the compound in the supplement is very similar to the make-up of the cell membranes within the body, and these compromise around 30 percent of the grey matter tissue of the brain.
This helps to repair brain cells which have been damaged due to environmental stress and a number of other factors. The supplement also acts as a potent antioxidant, helping to remove free radicals and toxins as well as signs of oxidative stress.
CDP Choline is often used for age-related memory impairment. Studies have shown that taking 1000-2000 mg of CDP Choline per day improved verbal memory in patients between 50-85 with poor memory.
There is also some interest in using CDP Choline for Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary evidence suggests that taking 1000 mg Citicoline daily may improve cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
The Natural Medicines database has rated CDP Choline as Possibly Effective for improving age-related cognitive impairment, cerebrovascular disease, and ischemic stroke. More research is still needed to fully determine the benefits CDP Choline can have on neurological disorders.
At this time CDP Choline is available as a health supplement only, and the FDA has not approved CDP Choline as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions.
CDP Choline Side Effects
The Natural Medicines database has rated CDP Choline as Possibly Safe for oral use in adults. CDP Choline is generally well tolerated when taken at appropriate dosages.
While side effects are rare, there are a few mild side effects that have been associated with this supplement. These include effects like headaches, fatigue, nervousness, nausea, diarrhea, and other GI issues. In extremely rare cases it could possibly result in a drop in blood pressure and/or dizziness.
Once again most of these effects are quite rare. This supplement actually has a very safe toxicity index and should be considered by almost everyone with the exception of pregnant and nursing mothers (simply due to a lack of evidence and testing for safety).
Overall, CDP Choline is a safe, effective supplement that may help improve memory, concentration, and attention, and it can offer many benefits for those both young and old.
- Ottobelli L, Manni GL, Centofanti M, Iester M, Allevena F, Rossetti L. Citicoline oral solution in glaucoma: is there a role in slowing disease progression? Ophthalmologica. 2013
- Cho HJ, Kim YJ. Efficacy and safety of oral citicoline in acute ischemic stroke: drug surveillance study in 4,191 cases. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2009
- Weiss GB. Metabolism and actions of CDP-choline as an endogenous compound and administered exogenously as citicoline. Life Sci. 1995
- [No authors listed] Cytidine diphosphate choline (citicoline, Somazina). Arzneimittelforschung. 1983
- Bracken BK, Penetar DM, Rodolico J, Ryan ET, Lukas SE. Eight weeks of citicoline treatment does not perturb sleep/wake cycles in cocaine-dependent adults. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2011
- Parisi V, Manni G, Colacino G, Bucci MG. Cytidine-5'-diphosphocholine (citicoline) improves retinal and cortical responses in patients with glaucoma. Ophthalmology. 1999
- Alvarez-SabÃn J, Román GC. The role of citicoline in neuroprotection and neurorepair in ischemic stroke. Brain Sci. 2013
Article last updated on: March 13th, 2018 by Nootriment
2 Comments
Whats the main difference between CDP Choline and Phsophatidylcholine?
Hi Angela,
Thanks for your question! Both Cytidine-Diphosphate Choline and Phosphatidylcholine contain choline bound to a phospholipid.
The main difference is the presence of Cytidine in the CDP Choline molecule. This is a component of RNA and can be used to make Uridine, which has a number of brain benefits itself. You can learn more about Uridine here.